Looking for union members who support 'paycheck protection' bill

During committee debate on HB 1021, which would prohibit governments from collecting union dues through automatic payroll deduction, sponsor Rep. Chris Dorwoth told lawmakers that individual members of unions had told them they backed Dorworth's idea. Skeptical, Democratic Rep. Ron Saunders took to the House floor last week during debate and dared reporters to make a public records request to Dorworth's office to see if any proof of Dorworth's claim existed.

So we bit.

The House Office of Public Information provided the Buzz 12 pages of public records related to "union support" for HB 1021. We found no letter, e-mail or transcription of a phone call that indicated someone supporting Dorworth's bill was a union member.

Shirley Gibson of Lake Mary wrote: "Please vote yes on any measure to decrease the power of teacher unions ..."

James Green of Ft. Walton Beach wrote: "I am very anti-union for the ills they have caused in this country. How did we ever get into the business of collecting dues for unions anyway? Has to be illegal."

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